Filey Cliffs (2026)

Original media: Inks, acrylics, gouache, watercolour, pencils, gold leaf and gold thread.

The Cleveland Way is one of the shorter national trails, beginning in Helmsley in North Yorkshire. The path takes you to the coast at Saltburn by the Sea, and then all along the coastal path to Filey Brigg. In May 2025 I ran the whole path over the course of a week. I was on my own for most of it, then joined by my best running friends at Whitby for the last couple of days. I carried a little running pack with everything I needed for the week on my back (I wasn’t camping!) and the smallest drawing kit in a pouch on my front. I stopped to draw whenever inspiration struck. I took photographs too, but mostly the paintings are based on the sketches.

I was just with Gill for this last stretch of the trail the sun came out, lifting all the colours! We ran through bluebell woods out of Scarborough and then back onto the cliff top paths. There was a paraglider as we neared Filey. The sea was blue and the cliffs dark, making the white waves and the white gulls stand out.

Available as a signed limited edition print, hand-finished with gold leaf and gold thread. All prints are mounted and can be posted, unless purchased framed.